On Tuesday December 2, animals from a farm near Lacolle came to the Douglas Institute’s Animal-assisted therapy program for a visit.

For a few too short hours, visitors could pet Suzie the sheep as well as Martine and Nicole the dwarf goats and some chickens as well as a very soft rabbit. They had been brought by farmer Frédérique Hébert-Villeneuve.

Animal-assisted therapy, or zootherapy, is used in the care of children, teenagers, adults, and elderly people affected by mental health problems.

Its benefits are well establshed. The Douglas Institute has been a pioneer in the field. It offers its services to a wide range of patients, from a very young age to seniors.